The invention relates to a sinker set for knitting systems for the manufacture of plush goods, in particular for use in circular knitting machines. In terms of the present patent application, a knitting system comprises all parts necessary for the formation of a pair of stitches, said pair consisting of a base stitch and a plush stitch.
For example, knitting systems as have been known from DE 30 35 582 C2, DE 31 45 307 C2 or even DE 41 29 845 A1 are used for the manufacture of plush. Such knitting systems comprise at least one needle as well as a sinker with one slit-like recess extending in transverse direction of the needle. Above the slit, the sinker has a (downholder) lug aligned in transverse direction of the needle, said needle's upper edge being disposed to receive a plush loop. The edge located in the slit acts as the coulier edge.
Considering this, document DE 30 35 582 discloses a special solution which provides a second sinker in addition to the sinker with the slit, said second sinker's flat side abutting against the first-mentioned sinker. The second sinker has a projection which can partially cover the slit of the first sinker. In so doing, it is possible to change the effective slit length due to the relative shift between the two sinkers, for example, in order to restretch the plush loops after the associated needle has been driven out.
This mode of operation of such a known stitch-forming system follows a common principle. Base and plush threads are separately fed to a suitable thread guide. In the conventional manner, the base thread comes to lie on the drawing-down (coulier) edge of the plush sinker, whereas the plush thread lies on said upper sinker lug that is raised relative to the coulier. Subsequently, the newly formed stitches, base threads and plush threads are drawn down together. Known embodiments with only one sinker per knitting system as well as systems with two sinkers per knitting system follow this principle.
In so doing, the height of the plush loops results from the distance of the coulier of the plush sinker from the inside edge of the hook of the (latch-type) needle and thus from the dimensions of the plush sinkers that are being used. If the plush loop height is to be changed, the plush sinkers must be exchanged. This involves a considerable effort, considering the, e.g., 4000 sinkers per circular knitting machine.
In addition, special sinkers have been known from prior art, said sinkers permitting an adjustment of the plush loop height. Regarding these, reference is made to document JP 2005-299056 A. This publication discloses a base sinker having a drawing-down edge and a plush sinker that is pivotally supported on the base sinker and has a lug projecting at a variable distance beyond the drawing-down edge. The plush sinker is associated with an adjustment device disposed so as to allow the defined adjustment of the pivot position of the plush sinker.
The adjustment of the pivot position of the plush sinker is critical. If the pivot position is not the same for all knitting systems and plush sinkers, uniform plush goods cannot be obtained. Rather, the formation of streaks would have to be expected.
Considering this, it is the object of the invention to provide a possibility of adjusting the plush loop height on a knitting machine as desired.